The present invention relates generally to fiber optic technology.
It is often desirable to couple unterminated optic fiber to test instrumentation, such as an optical time domain reflectometer or an optical spectrum analyzer. Such coupling is fraught with difficulty. The light-carrying inner core of an optic fiber is typically as small as 9 micrometers in diameter and is delicate to handle. The core of the unterminated optic fiber must be temporarily aligned and substantially abutted with the core in the end of a second optic fiber in communication with the test equipment. The cores must be maintained in such a position during the test procedures, and then must be disconnected so that similar tests may be conducted on other optic fibers.
The present invention relates to a ferrule for use with a bare fiber adapter for temporarily coupling the ends of two bare optic fibers. The ferrule includes an elongate body possessing a borehole therethrough, with each of the borehole ends adapted to receive the end of an associated one of the bare optic fibers such that the ends of the bare optic fibers may substantially abut. The elongate body also possesses a slot extending from the periphery of the elongate body to the borehole. A bare fiber adaptor incorporating the ferrule is also disclosed. A method of temporarily connecting the ends of two bare optic fibers is disclosed, and a kit for use in temporarily coupling unterminated optic fiber to test instrumentation is also disclosed.